By: Syd Bickers
According to a recent survey of the Milligan College community, the school is more opposed to the federal legalization of same-sex marriage than the majority of America. However, there is a small group of students who reject the Church’s blessing of homosexual marriages but cheer for government acceptance.
The Stampede conducted an anonymous survey of 75 students and a few faculty members on their attitudes toward same-sex marriage. Members of the Milligan community opposed United States legalizing same-sex marriage by a 69 to 29 percent ratio. The remaining two percent did not denote a position.
America’s attitudes are not as extreme. According to a Pew Forum study conducted this year, 49 percent of Americans are in favor of same-sex marriage and 44 percent oppose it.
An even greater portion of students believed that homosexuality goes against Christian teaching. Eighty-eight percent of students indicated they believed the Bible forbids same-sex marriage. Four percent said the Bible does not forbid same-sex marriage, and eight percent said they did not know.
Two questions in the survey were designed to compare how students thought about the issue both politically and religiously. One question asked about same-sex marriage legalization by the federal government, and the other about whether or not the Church should bless it. Those surveyed could pick one of the following answers: strongly agree, agree, not sure, disagree and strongly disagree.
Twenty-four percent strongly disagreed that the federal government should legalize it and also strongly disagreed that the Church should bless the marriages. Five percent strongly agreed that the federal government should legalize same-sex marriage but strongly disagreed that the Church should bless the marriages. The remaining had moderate opinions on the scale questions.
The Five Percent
David Lawler, a senior Bible and humanities major from New Jersey, fell among the five percent.
“Let the state be the state, and let the Church be the church,” said Lawler, in both an interview and in the comment section of the survey.
Though he did not believe same-sex marriage fit in the Christian understanding of marriage as a sacrament, he did however believe the sanctity of marriage could be restored in state sanctioned same-sex marriages through Christian community. His main reason for supporting legalization is a desire for justice and love of neighbor.
“In our society homosexuals are ostracized,” he said. “A Christian is called to be an advocate of the marginalized…regardless of whether their lifestyle is morally inconsistent of Biblical teaching.”
Lawler found it unjust to withhold from homosexuals the legal and financial benefits afforded to heterosexuals, particularly for same-sex households with children. He mentioned domestic abuse cases and employment discrimination as important issues that hinge on the government’s recognition of same-sex marriage.
It is the Church’s job to hold homosexual married couples to the same standards as heterosexual married couples, according to Lawler.
“I think we want to replicate as best we can the call to covenant faithfulness in the Church,” he said. “If Christian homosexuals choose not to [be] celibate, they should join up in a larger story.”
He found it “ironic” that some Christians are against same-sex marriage. By not promoting a legal binding between the couple, he said promiscuity might be encouraged. Though he did not feel the Church should perform these marriages, as it would “confuse” the Christian sacrament of marriage, Lawler said he was comfortable using the term marriage to describe a same-sex union.
“I am not asking the Church to marry homosexuals,” he said. “I am asking the Church to advocate for justice and love.”
Lawler found The Stampede survey results, showing a striking opposition to same-sex marriage legalization, to be “problematic” because he said the Church would be able to offer justice and show love if homosexuals were given the same rights as heterosexuals.
Men vs. Women
Another trend found in the survey results was that a greater percentage of women were opposed to same-sex marriage than men. Seventy-eight percent of women were opposed to legalization, nearly ten percent higher than the overall average. Only 54 percent of men were opposed to federal legalization. Both sexes strongly believed that homosexuality went against the Bible’s teaching. While 96 percent of women believed homosexuality went against the Bible, only 75 percent of men agreed.
Heather Espeland, a junior exercise science major from Maryland, said she did not agree with same-sex marriage legalization because it goes against the Bible.
“It’s something that is not going to glorify God, so I don’t want to support it,” said Espeland. “We can’t pretend like we are going to accept all of this stuff [homosexuality] if it clearly states in our book that we are against it.”
Espeland said it is the job of Christians to ensure that Christian ideals are upheld in government legislation.
For, Beattie Renn, a junior double majoring in worship leadership and history, said she did not believe Christians should use the law to exercise their traditions in society.
“I don’t feel like that would be an honest Christian way to do it,” said Renn. “People don’t want to be pushed toward God.”
Zach Hollifield, a freshman Bible major from Tennessee, who said he was “for the legalization of same-sex marriage but not the moralization,” agreed with Renn.
“I think there is this big idea about making America this Christian nation,” said Hollifield. “When I look back at the history of the world, every time Christianity has been an empire, it’s been an atrocity for everyone involved.”
*The Stampede editor Sydney Bickers and Milligan junior Kelly Chism helped gather survey results, and Stampede reporter Kelsey Teel helped sort statistical data.
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